Buying a New Home?
So you’ve entered
into a contract to buy a new home. Buyers will be aware of the range of
conditions which are traditionally inserted in a contract for their protection.
These include things such as confirmation of finance, approval of a Land Information
Memorandum and a building report.
What About Meth
Testing?
With recent
coverage in the press, people are becoming increasingly aware of the danger of
buying a home which has been used for the production, or even recreational use
of methamphetamine (meth). If meth has been smoked or manufactured in a
home, the cost of repairing the home to a standard which is safe for habitation
can be considerable.
How Does Meth
Affect a House?
Traces of meth can
stay in a property for many years. It gets absorbed into the gib board, insulation,
framing, carpets and fittings. In some cases the solution will be to strip the
lining, insulation and possibly even the framing. It could amount to many
thousands of dollars. In extreme cases where meth has been baked in a home,
demolition may be the only solution!
What Should You Do
About This?
We believe that the
time has come when a special condition needs to be included in a contract for
any conveyance of property in New Zealand to allow a purchaser to obtain a meth
test report. When going to auction, it could even become standard practice for
a vendor to supply a meth test report to give buyers peace of mind.
What Would a Meth
Test Tell Us?
A meth report will
tell you the sites where sample were taken. Traditionally this will be in areas
such as the kitchen, bedrooms and living areas. The report will disclose any
traces of meth found, the results compared to known safe levels and a
recommendation on what you would need to do to fix the problem, if one exists.
If you would like
to know more about including a condition in your purchase contract for meth
testing, contact your conveyancing lawyer for assistance. We have many years’
experience in assisting purchaser’s with the conveyance of their home.